Shingle and slate gage.



M. 1., LEONARD.

SHINGLE AND SLATE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28', 1914.

1,156,159. 1 Patented 001.12, 1915.

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M. J. LEONARD.

SHINGLE AND SLATE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.28, 1914.

' 1,156,159. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed N ovember 28, 1914. Serial No. 874,525.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shingle and Slate Gages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to measuring instruments and more especially to gages such as are used for applying shingles, slate, tile, and perhaps weather boarding; all of which I will include by the term shingle throughout this specification. These, as is well known, are usually laid on an inclined roof off of which the shingles and the workman are apt 'to slip. For this reason shin vgling brackets or stagings are constructed,

first near the eaves; the workman lays the courses upward for about five feet, and then the bracket or staging is movedrand this process is followed until the ridge pole is reached. Meanwhile each course ordinarily is laid with the butts of the shingles on a chalk line about four inches or five inches above the butts of the shingles in the. last row laid, and in order to chalk the full length of line and snap it. onto the course already laid, two workmen are required and at least one of them must walk the full length of the roof. Even then a careless workman may not lay the butts of the shin-- gles accurately over the line just made, and in any event the shingles being laid are piled on the brackets or scafiolding and become more and more inaccessible as the rows or courses progress upward over the roof. In order to avoid this difficulty, movable brackets and'gages have been patented somewhat similar to the present invention. One object of the latter is to produce such a device which answers both as the bracket and the gage and which will 'be foldable in order to permit the workman to store .it in his tool box quite readily,

It is well known to those whoare. familiar with this art that conditions'are oftenmet with where the courses are laid. as usual with the standard exposure to the weather,

until a point is reached near the ridge pole and 1t is discovered that by reducing or enlarging the'gage for two or three courses the workman will come out even at the ridge pole and finish the job nicely. This is usually accomplished by slipping the butts of the shingles down over the chalk line a little, or raising them above it a trifle; or perhaps by snapping the chalk line a little above or a little below its ordinary position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for permitting this vari ation of the gage instantly and exactly. and at any time desired.

Shingling brackets and gages as commonly devised are applicable to flat roofs'of various pitch.

A third object of the present invention is to produce a gage which may be applied towhat is called a round roof, or one which more strictly speaking is conical; and yet the attributes above described are retained.

WVith these various objects in view the invention consists in the details hereinafter more fully described and claimed and as shown in the drawings wherein: I

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a flat roof (by which word fiat I mean that .it isnot conical, although of course it is inclined), showing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. drawn on a considerably enlarged scale and showing how certain of the strut-links might be employed as supports for a staging or bracket to hold the shingles being laid. Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged perspective detail of one of the strut-links, and Fig. 4: is a similar view of the lowermost or L- shaped member of the strut. Fig- 5 is a detail showing how two of the gages could be connected end to end so as to lay the de vice completely across the entire roof. 6 is a plan view showing the use of this invention on acurved or conical roof, and illustrating a different manner of supporting the base member which might be employed on this roof or any other, and is more especially useful with slate. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of detachable hinge which may be employed.

One of my devices complete comprises a base which is usually mounted on the ordiiranary staging at the eaves of a house or may be secured to the first row of shingles or even laid against the snow guards G as seen in Fig. 6; two struts which rise from this base and are extensible to accommodate the device to the various courses of shingles as the latter are laid; a supported by the members or links of the struts and against which are laid the butts of the shingles as the latter are nailed to the roof boards; and two stepped blocks secured to the lower edge of the gage and forming a part of it. As will be explained below with respect to Fig. 6, the base is sometimes mounted on a support which is led upward over the roof to the ridge pole or to nails or hooks embedded in the roof boards at a point above the place where the shingles are to be laid; and this type of support is generally employed when the workman is laying slate and it is not de sirable to nail the base-support upon the lower course. In size this device is adapted to a roof measuring about twenty feet across, and in order to render it foldable into small compass the gage and the base are each preferably in about four sections hingedly connected so that they can be folded when desired. However, for use on a roof somewhat wider, the extremities of the gageare made to overlap the extremities of other gages as seen in Fig. 5, and the same construction might be adopted with respect to the base although I consider it unnecessary to further illustrate this detail. That would carry the device to a length of forty feet in case all the sections of the base and gage were employed, and w .uld adapt it to a roof which was nearly or quite that width. 1 may say at this point that this device is useful for laying shingles, sla. e, or tile; and it might even be employed for laying weather boards, and I lay claim to all the functions of which it is capable.

, Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the base 1 of this device is illustrated as a strip of wood made in four sections which are connected by hinges 2, so that the sections need be only about five feet long each. It is not absolutely necessary that this member be considered a part of the device itself, because it will be obviously quite possible for the workman to nail a strip along the lower course of shingles parallel with the eaves and use it as the base. This he may do because of the specific construction of the strut-member shown in Fig. 4 as will be described. But whether the base is a part of the device or not, it or some equivalent for it must be employed.

There are by preference two of the strutmembers, and as they are alike I need describe but one. Each is by preference made of strap metal links 3 standing onedge and having their upper ends 4 cut off square and their lower ends 5 rounded on a true semi-circle. Projecting from one side face of the link at a point which is the center around which its rounded end 5 is struck, is a T-headed stud or pin 6 whose head 7 as seen in Fig. 8 is elongated in a direction at right anglesto the length of the link. Cut through the body of the link near its upper angular end ti: is a slot 8 elongated in the direction of the length of the link, and this slot is of a size to permit the passage through it of any of the heads 7. The lowermost strut-link 9 best seen in Fig. 4L is of L-shaped structure, its upright arm being provided with one of the slots 8 and its lower arm preferably provided with key-hole slots 10 through which screws 11. may pass into the upper edge of the base 1 for fastening this member thereto. It is obvious that by loosening these screws and moving the slots 1.0 along them slightly, their enlarged ends 12 may be passed over the heads of the screws 11 so that the members 9 can be detached therefrom. If the workman uses an ordinary board or piece of scaffolding for the base, he is at liberty to drive nails through the key-hole slots 10 to hold the members 9 thereon. There are two of the struts, connected to the outer ends of the endmost sections of the base as seen in Fig. 1, and each strut comprises one member 9 and several of the link members 3 which latter are all duplicates of each other. 7

What might be called the third element of this device is the gage proper which is shown in Fig. 1 as consisting of two members 15 which are ten-foot strips of wood, hingedly connected with each other at their inner ends at the point 16; and I have employed this view to show in. dotted lines how each member might be againmade into two fivefoot sections hingedly connected with each other at 17. In Fig. 7 is shown a detail of one of the hinges which might be employed for connecting the serti ms or members of the gage and in fact also the section or members of the base if desired. These hinges are those usually used on sprocket chains whose links are detachably connected, and they comprise two leaves 18 with knuckles 19 so shaped that they may be engaged with and disengaged from each other when the leaves stand in planes at right angles to each other, but cannot be so disengaged when the leaves are opened out fiat. It is thought this hinge will be well understood, and a further detailed description thereof is unnecessary. If these or any other form of detachable hinges are employed between the links or sections of the gage, it is quite possible by using the endmost sections only to produce a gage which is but ten feet in length, and this may be employed on an extremely narrow roof. Or, by the insertion of other links (assuming that the latter are but five feet in length each) the gage could be extended to cover a fifteen foot roof or finally a twenty foot roof. When the roof is wider than that, I use two of the devices described in this application, and for the purpose of connecting the extremities of the gages I may employ the con struction best seen in Fig. 5. Herein the endmost members or sections are notched reversely as shown at 20 and 21, and the projecting tongues 22 are provided with perforations 23 which come into alinement when the notched ends are pressed together. Thereafter a bolt 24 may be passed through the perforations, and a nut 25 applied thereto. It is to be understood that the gage of the first device applied to the roof will be supported by two strut-members, but if the gage of the second device should be only one of the short sections, it will require the addition of only a single additional strut-member. However, if the added gage be composed of two or more sections, I prefer. to add two strut-members so that the added device is fully as strong and reliable as the original. If the detachable hinges shown in Fig. 7 are employed at both ends of every section of the gage, it is quite possible that the connection shown in Fig. 5 could be done away with and the added gage section could be applied by use of the hinges, but this detail will not require further elaboration.

The last element of this improved device is a pair of stepped blocks whose use is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6. These may be of wood or metal, and each is secured permanently to the lower edge of an endmost gage-section, near the outer end of the latter. In detail it is a block 27 whose lower edge is formed in the shape of a number of steps 28 made preferably in quarter-inch intervals for a purpose yet to appear; and the steps in one block should correspond in direction with the steps'of the other.

Finally, as it is not always possible or desirable to support the base by nailing it upon the lower course of shingles or by resting it upon or attaching it to a staging which may be already in position, this element canbe supported in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. That is to say, it may rest against the snow guards G, or it may be supported by wires or ropes 28 led upward over the roof to hooks 29 which may be driven into the roof boards R or may be passed over the ridgeand therefore if this form of support is ap-.

plied care must be taken that this rule is followed.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6,

the gage instead of being made of strips or sections of wood hinged together, is made up of strap metal links 30 which may wellbe connected with each other by the same formof studs 6 and slots 8 as is employed to connect the strut-links 3; and two of said gage links carry the stepped blocks already described. In this case, however, it is obvious that the blocks will be much closer together and that some element must be used which will follow the curvature of the roof.

edge of the base, their lower links 3 with the upstanding portions of said members 9, and their additional links with said lower links 3, and so on; all the links being folded back at first. The gage is then brought into place upon the shingles S already laid, and its lower edge placed against the upperends of the then upstanding links 9 of the struts. The shingles in the next course are then put in place by resting their butts against the upper edge of the gage, and are nailed as usual. If it be desired to add a quarter inch to the length of the shingle to be exposed to the weather, the gage is laid upon the struts, not by putting its lower edge against the upper ends of their links, but by putting the first steps on said ends; and it will be understood that by using the next steps the shingles may be exposed a quarter inch more, and so on. After this course of shingles has been laid, the workmen move and then the base may be moved upward over the shingles already laid, and the operation repeated up to the ridge pole. The details of construction above employed and which I preferably use have these functions and advantages: The T- headed studs or pins 6 and the slots 8 obviously permit the disconnection of the various links when any link is turned into position at, strict right angles to the length ofits fellow. Therefore either strut can be lengthenedor shortened as desired, or again a defective link. can be removed and re-' placed. WVhen these link members are employed for the gage itself, it is quite desirable that means be present whereby the gage can be extended or reduced in. length to adapt it to the roof to be shingled. In that case, also, the use of the key-hole slots 10 in the lower links 9 is of advantage, because these links can be attached to the base at any point on the latter which is necessary. At any time also these slots permit the disconnection of said lower links 9, facilitatin the storage and transfer of the device. While the workmen will lay their shingles on the staging or upon the base as long as they are working near the caves, and while also they can lay their shingles upon the gage as their work progresses upward over the roof, it is also possible for them to bend the links back as indicated in Fig. 2 and form them into little brackets over which they may lay a board B to form a staging or shelf upon which the shingles S can be piled. While the links in the struts must be of uniform length, I prefer that such links be slightly less than standard so that the workmen will of necessity have to employ say one or two of the steps 28 on the block 27 in order to produce standard exposure of the weather faces of the shingles. Assuming now that they reach a point near the ridge pole and discover that their shingles must be laid a little closer together in order to come out even: it is obviously quite easy for them to reduce the exposure by placing the next lower step against the upper ends of the uppermost links in the last two or three courses. As above suggested, the connection shown in Fig. 5 need not always be employed, and might in fact be replaced by the detachable hinges if the gage is of wood or the stud-and-slot connection if the gage is of metal links.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The herein described gage for laying shingles and the like, the same comprising a base adapted to be supported on the roof parallel with the eaves; a pair of struts whereof each is composed of a series of links of equal length movably connected with each other, and a lowermost L-shaped link having one arm pivoted to the lower link of the series and the other arm connected with said base; and a gage proper adapted to lie against the upper ends of the uppermost links.

2. The herein described gage for laying shingles and the like, the same comprising a base adapted to be supported on the roof parallel with the eaves; a pair of struts whereof each is composed of a series of links of equal length detachably connected with each other, and a lowermost L-shaped link having its upper end pivotally connected with the lowermost link of the series and its lower arm provided with key-hole slots by means of which it may be detachably connected to said base; and a gage proper adapted to lie against the upper end of the uppermost links.

3. The herein described gage for laying shingles and the like, the same comprising a base adapted to be supported on the roof parallel with the eaves; a pair of struts whereof each is composed of a series of links of equal length pivotally connected with each other, and a lowermost L-shaped link having one arm pivoted to the lower link of the series and the other arm connected with said base; and a gage proper adapted to lie upon the roof against the upper ends of the uppermost links, said gage being made in sections connected to each other by detachable hinges.

4. The herein described gage for laying Y shingles and the like, the same comprising a base adapted to be supported on the roof parallel with the eaves, a pair of struts whereof each is composed of a series of links of equal length pivotally connected with each other and the lower link of the series connected with said base; a gage proper; and a pair of stepped blocks secured to the lower edge of said gage whereby such edge or any of the steps may be placed in engagement with the upper ends of the uppermost links, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a shingling gage, the combination with a base, and a gage proper; of a pair of struts whereof each" is composed of a lower link adapted to be connected to said base, and a series of duplicate links whose lower ends are rounded and whose upper ends are out off straight, and pivotal connections between the upper end of each link and the lower end of the one above.

6. In a shingling gage, the combination with a base, and a gage proper; of a pair of struts whereof each is composed of a. lower link adapted to be connected to said base and a series of duplicate links whose lower ends are rounded and whose upper ends are cut off straight, all the links being provided near their upper ends with longitudinal slots, and all the links except the lowermost being provided near their lower ends with T-headed studs whose heads stand transverse to the length of the links and are adapted to engage any of said slots, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a shingling bracket, the combina-' tion with a base, and a pair of extensible struts connected at their lower ends there with; of a gage proper made in sections hingedly connected with each other, the outer ends of the endmost sections being cut away to product half-tongues for engage ment with the tongues of similar sections.

and the tongues pierced with holes adapted to register when they stand in such engagement, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a shingling bracket, the combination with a base made in sections disposed end to end, a gage proper also made in sections disposed end to end, and detachable hinges connecting the contiguous ends of the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature sectionsfof the bajse and the SBCtiOQilS of the in presence of two Witnesses. ga eo a mir 0 struts connecte at their lon ei ends ivith the enchnost sections of the MICHAEL LEON 5 base and each made up of links of uniform Witnesses:

length connected With each other by de- L. P. WEDEMAN, tachable pivots. V. W. BAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G. 

